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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28547238">Christmas</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/paupotter_4869/pseuds/paupotter_4869'>paupotter_4869</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Most Important Thing. . . [23]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Last of Us (Video Games)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Banter, Christmas, Father-Daughter Relationship, Teasing, Traditions, miller family - Freeform</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-04</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 23:34:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,455</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28547238</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/paupotter_4869/pseuds/paupotter_4869</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>With Christmas coming on soon, Joel knows he needs to sit down with Ellie and agree to a bare minimum of requirements for the holiday.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Ellie &amp; Joel (The Last of Us)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Most Important Thing. . . [23]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2033674</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Christmas</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I do not own anything. All credit to Naughty Dog. </p><p>This one comes a little bit late, I was planning on editing and publishing it by ACTUALLY Christmas, but here it is nonetheless!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Hey, Joel?” </p><p>The yell came too loud, too close. Startled, Joel made the wrong move with the knife and a drop of blood poured from his chin. </p><p>“Fuck,” he scowled, cutting a piece of toilet paper. That single monosyllable was enough for Ellie to locate him—her reflection appeared on the mirror, leaning against the doorframe. At the very least, she did find it in herself to take off her damp jacket and with any luck, left it at the entrance. </p><p>“You alright?” </p><p>“Don’t sneak up to people like that,” growled Joel, piercing Ellie through the mirror. He threw away the piece of toilet paper and also put away the knife, knowing his time of peace and quiet had just finished.  </p><p>“Maybe you’re losing your touch, old man.” </p><p>“You know, it’s customary to knock. Or, at the very least, wait downstairs,” Joel instructed, although he did not know why he kept wasting his time with Ellie. “But you wouldn’t know about that.” </p><p>“I do know Jesse told me you wanted to see me. Is it about my patrols?” </p><p>“Not exactly,” said Joel, grabbing Ellie by the arm and leading the way downstairs. The girl tried to shrug off her hand and look over his shoulder, amused and intrigued, but Joel kept dragging her down the stairs. </p><p>“Are you hiding something I shouldn’t know about?” </p><p>“Yeah, as a matter of fact, I installed a sex den in your old room,” said Joel, completely straight face. </p><p>Such an absurd statement made Ellie burst out laughing, so loud and hard that she needed to lean against the wall before she fell to the floor. Joel groaned and released her, instructing her to join him in the kitchen when she settled. About a minute later, she entered the kitchen, accepted the tea he’d prepared for her, and sat down on the chair Joel pointed at. </p><p>“So, this isn’t about the patrols.”</p><p>“You really have the attention span of thirty seconds. . . No, this isn’t about your patrols—this is about next Sunday.” </p><p>“What’s happening next Sunday?” </p><p>“I was hoping you’d answer that.” </p><p>At that, Ellie actually stopped to think and ponder the question. It didn’t dawn on her and so, she made use of the calendar Joel had hanging from the kitchen wall—maybe that was the reason for him to lead her back down to the kitchen, not his hidden sex den upstairs. </p><p>She took a look at the calendar and then looked at it again, making sure. She groaned when the realization drew and Joel clicked his tongue. </p><p>“It <em>can’t</em>  be,” she scowled. </p><p>“Remembered in the end, huh?” he asked. He stepped closer and pulled out a chair for her, where she dramatically let herself fall. </p><p>“It can’t be that time of year again!” </p><p>“Well, that’s the thing about these celebrations. They kind of take place every year, you see,” the man explained slowly. He took a seat in front of Ellie, who stuttered, horror-struck—too shocked, in fact, to answer to his teasing. </p><p>“Joel, I just remembered, I’m most definitely certain that I have other plans for that night.” </p><p>It was good thinking on his part planning the conversation with time to spare before the 25th. He knew all this arguing and bargaining was coming—the same happened the prior year, and also, the year before that—and he was prepared for the counterattack. </p><p>“You can make all the plans you want with Dina and the guys. . . <em>After</em>  dinner. We should at the very least spend Christmas dinner together, kiddo.” </p><p>“Come on, just because some weirdo was killed two thousand years ago, we have to make plans and celebrate his execution every year?” </p><p>“He was crucified,” Joel interjects. “And Christianity has nothing to do with it. Seems like I need to make an appointment whenever I want to see you, lately, kiddo. Christmas is just an excuse to spend time with your family. And I want to spend the night with you and Tommy and Maria.” </p><p>“Ugh. So it involves them both, too?” </p><p>“Last time I checked, he was still my brother, and she, my sister-in-law. Also, that child of theirs, I’m her godfather, and you’re her older sister slash auntie. Do I need to go on?” </p><p>“No, you’ve made your point already, thank you very much.” </p><p>“Good,” the man approved—not that the battle was done with just yet, though. He had expected nothing else, coming from Ellie. </p><p>“Joel, your made-up holiday means there’re no patrols whatsoever on Christmas. This community depends on the patrols keeping us all safe. We cannot skip a day just like that!” </p><p>“Don’t pull the ‘greater good’ card on me, you never believed it, in the first place. This system worked before we got here and I see no problem in us implementing it, too. Plus, it’s one day.” </p><p>“What about New Year’s?” </p><p>“Fine. Two days out of the whole year when we skip patrols,” Joel granted, waving her accusations away with her hand. “The world won’t come crashing down because of it.” </p><p>“Didn’t <em>your world</em>  come crashing down overnight?” </p><p>“Ellie, that’s enough,” Joel said, raising his voice—and Ellie instantly knew she’d gone too far, for he rarely raised his voice at her anymore. “All I’m asking for is one dinner with Tommy and Maria, that is all. I don’t think I’m asking too much.” </p><p>“I beg to differ. Have you seen them lately? It’s gross,” she said, not trying to make it any more complicated, rather the opposite—making light fun of the couple in a way to defuse the bomb with Joel, knowing he’d agree with her on this one. </p><p>The man smiled fondly, any remnants of anger and nightmares gone from his face and from his voice. The city, and he personally, had never seen a couple so deeply in love, so fond of each other. They couldn’t keep their hands off each other at first, they had a hard time spending time alone, and they took care of each other. On the second hand, it was nice to see the family grow, see that there was a chance for humanity. The sort of life they lived in here, Joel had barely seen since the Apocalypse—such as people having children again willingly, maybe because the worst is over, or maybe they’d seen they all needed to move on. </p><p>“They’re first-time parents, that’s how it’s supposed to be,” he said softly, without a doubt reminiscing some faraway personal memory he would not share with Ellie at the moment, or else they’ll be here much longer than he’d expected. “And you and I, as their closest family, need to show support and love. Think you can manage that?” </p><p>“It’s going to be tough,” she said dramatically, crossing her eyes and settling on the chair. </p><p>Joel understood her terms and conditions easily enough and sighed deeply. “Alright, kiddo, let’s play. What’s it going to take?” </p><p>“You take care of my cooking duties for two weeks.” </p><p>“Done,” said Joel immediately, kicking his fist against the table as if to seal the deal straight away. </p><p>“Crap, should I have said three weeks?” </p><p>“Too late now, missus,” Joel said, flashing a tilted smile—he would have bought three weeks had she dared to suggest it, but she couldn’t fix it, now. He stood then, grabbing his jacket from the chair and pointing at Ellie to follow him outside. </p><p>“And you stay out of my hair and house for the next two weeks, too,” she added in an afterthought. </p><p>“Remind me again who’s the one hiding a sex den in their house?” Joel demanded, stopping at the entrance hall to put on his jacket and handing Ellie hers back. “Oh, and one more thing. . .” </p><p>“No way! Wasn’t <em>I</em>  the one with the conditions sine qua non?” </p><p>“You show up with a clean shirt and jeans,” Joel said, knowing better than to surrender to Ellie’s teasing now of all times. “I don’t want to see any bloodstains like last year. You’ll give poor Sammy nightmares.” </p><p>“So, would this suffice?” Ellie demanded. She unbuttoned her jacket and stepped aside to the weak winter sunlight, letting Joel examine her clothes. He assessed her ensemble from head to toes, and for a second, it seemed he was going to approve, but then he frowned. </p><p>“It has got a tear. Mend it before Christmas.” </p><p>“No one’s going to care.” </p><p>“<em>I</em>   do. Isn’t that reason enough for you?” </p><p>“Fine. I’ll mend my stupid shirt for your forsaken stupid dinner.” </p><p>“Thank you very much, my lady,” Joel appreciated, overly formal, as he held the door open for her to leave the house first. They both had chores, after all, and he didn’t fancy spending the whole day arguing with Ellie.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Hope you liked it :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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